M.D. Admissions

Recommendation Letters

Einstein requires letters of recommendation from each applicant. Applicants who have completed their pre-medical coursework as an undergraduate or postbaccalaureate student, at a college or university where there is a Pre-Professional Advisory committee, are required to submit a letter of recommendation from that Committee. Students who do not submit such a letter should explain, in writing, why they have opted not to do so.

Applicants who have attended a school at which there is no Pre-Professional Advisory Committee must have at least two letters of recommendation from faculty members at that school. One of these letters should be from a faculty member in the department of the applicant’s major, and the other from a science faculty member. If your major subject is science, the second letter should be from a member of a science department different from the reference who is writing the first letter. Letters from teaching assistants will not satisfy this requirement, although TAs may co-sign letters with senior faculty.

Advisors are asked to comment on their school's disciplinary action policies and to note whether the school has a "no tolerance" policy, or has a policy to allow a certain number of warnings (please note how many) prior to the issuance of a disciplinary action.

Applicants should direct their advisors/letter writers to our website regarding competency-based admissions so that letters of recommendation can touch upon both the cognitive and non-cognitive requirements for the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

If letters will be sent from a Career Services Office at an academic institution, please indicate that on the secondary application form in the space provided for "Pre-Professional Advisory Committee." Letters of recommendation from commercial educational consulting firms will not be considered.

Postbac applicants whose advisors do not provide a statement regarding good standing, at the undergraduate level, in their letter of recommendation, must request a letter from the Dean of Students or Registrar at their undergraduate college affirming good standing status.

Applicants who have completed all of their pre-medical requirements prior to five years from the time of application must show evidence of participation in either academic or work experience in the biological sciences. Academic experience should include at least one course in a discipline such as cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, immunology or neuroscience. Work experience may include research in the biological sciences.

Applicants are encouraged to submit one or two additional letters of recommendation from individuals with whom they have worked closely. These can be from faculty, employers, research mentors or volunteer directors. Applicants applying to the MSTP must submit two letters of reference from past research mentors.

AMCAS has been authorized by Einstein to accept letters of evaluation/recommendation through the AMCAS Letter Writer Application. This service enables us to receive all letters electronically via AMCAS, and allows your references to send all letters to be considered by schools participating in this service to AMCAS rather than each school. There are several options through which your references can send their letter to AMCAS. These include using VirtualEvals, Interfolio, and sending the letter via the mail. In addition, letter writers who currently mail letters can opt to upload letters directly to AMCAS through the AMCAS Letter Writer Application.

Please note: All letters must be on official letterhead, and include signature. You will be notified if your letters have been submitted either without letterhead or signature, and you will be asked to contact your letter writers to make the appropriate corrections.

Individuals who write letters of recommendation should be notified that applications will not be considered complete, and therefore not reviewed by the admissions committee, until all letters and supporting documentation are received. It is the responsibility of the applicant to arrange that evaluations be submitted in a timely manner – no later than December 31 for the regular MD, and December 1 for the MSTP.